You asked for it, so here’s an occasional open thread to bitch about anything tangentially related to history, costume, movies, or TV shows! Or whatever else is on your mind right now. Note that URLs are automatically held for moderation, but most anything else goes as long as you’re not bitchier than we are!
Summertime, and the living is easy. We’ll be taking a little time off here and there, but we’ll try to keep the snark rolling as much as we can.
What’s up with you? What are you watching and what do you recommend?
‘Summertime, and the living is easy.’ – which means you have to watch “Enchanted April”. Also good for miserable Novembers and Februaries. Wonderful film, fine actors, Italian Riviera, leisured pace, lovely costumes, and my boyfriend Michael Kitchen – this film has it all.
We love that one! https://www.frockflicks.com/tbt-enchanted-april-1991/
I’m excited for this new HBO series byJulian Fellowes that explores the lives of aristocrats in the 1880s. The costumes (to my untrained eye) look amazing, and I can’t wait to see what Frock Flicks has to say about it!
I gotta give some side eye to referring to Sheryl Lee Ralph as a “rising star”. Sis has BEEN as star.
https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/first-look-downton-abbey-creators-new-project-the-gilded-age-begins-filming-on-the-streets-of-new-york-with-rising-stars-denee-benton-and-sheryl-lee.4557156/
Eagerly awaiting the previews!
Could you review the Anne Boleyn Channel 5 Series that just finished? It’s really…topical, and the costumes are bad.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13406036/?ref_=tt_urv
That’s the one with the black Anne? I could actually go with that if the actress gets the character. I suspect however, like the MQS picture the ethnicity of the actress will be the least of it’s problems!
If if makes it to the US, we’ll see!
Have been binge watching “Marple” episodes and knitting socks. I don’t usually agree with
(stupid) changes made to the books, but hair, makeup and costumes are usually spot on.
Which Marple are you watching, Joan Hinson, Geraldine McEwan or Julia McKenzie? I prefer Hinson myself.
McEwan and McKenzie mostly. Originally I preferred McEwan as Marple, but McKenzie has grown on me. Hickson is most faithful to the books, though.
Christie’s grandson said Hickson totally nailed it. BTW, Christie hated Margaret Rutherford’s portrayal.
The ridiculous and unnecessary changes, including altering characters, adding subplots and even changing the criminal! Drive me nuts!! But I do love Geraldine MacEwan’s dotty Jane Marple! Hickson of course is more true to the books.
I love Marple! Obviously some eps are better than others – The Sittaford Mystery episode is very annoying to me, considering how little they kept – but it’s great comfort TV.
Death and Nightingale is another tragic victim of The Great Haitpin Shortage.
Hairpin. Sorry!
I’ve been watching plenty of CosTubers, and am trying to support more PoC channels. My list so far has Sewstine, Samantha Bullat, Latina Living History, Not Your Mama’s History, Costuming in Color, and Claire Zhang. Other recommendations are super welcome.
Ooooooh, thanks for this list! I just discovered Not Your Mama’s History, and now you’ve given me more to check out. :)
Just watched Channel 5’s ‘Anne Boleyn’…Oh dear, oh dear.
The acting is woeful, if Cromwell had a moustache he’d twiddle it, Jane Seymour has embraced the ‘mega-bitch’ persona and Anne’s over the top emoting and angst – before being tried & condemned I might add – is deeply irritating.
The costumes ?…don’t get me started.
Oh dear!
About to start watching Sweet Tooth on Netflix. I’ve been enjoying the old episodes of the Twilight Zone. Dodododo
Love the 1940-1950s styles the women wear on the originals.
I’ve been watching season 1 of Supergirl, not historical I know, but superhero costumes! Yay! Other than that, I binged The Nevers. I really loved it, but I need a re-watch to take it all in and then go comment on that thread. Gotta give a shout out to FrockFlicks for turning me on to that show, because I had never heard of it before. Also, I started watching the Starz show Pennyworth–another show about a DC character (what’s up with me? I don’t even like comic books!). Anyway, it takes place in an alternate “comic book” universe that’s based on 60s London. What I’ve seen is good, it just got darker in tone so I backed off for a while. I’d love to hear your takes on the costuming in that show. Anyway, I will definitely get back into it because my boyfriend, James Purefoy, is in season 2–and I will watch anything he’s in. Speaking of…I’m due for a re-watch of Rome and A Discovery of Witches. Fans self!!